Life As He Knows It
by Jacob14
Summary: Taylor Schone; a 15 year old kid finds himself torn from his comfortable life in Virginia and thrust into the harsh cold environment of Columbus, Ohio in December 2006. Struggling to fit in at his new school, he ends up getting paired for a English project with none other than Queen Bee; Alexa Bliss. Sure they don't like one another but when it comes down to it, they're partners.
1. Chapter 1

Last Friday

 **A/N: So I decided to do a wrestling story except this one isn't exactly a wrestling story just yet but it will be. After; The Interviewer sort of failed due to me not updating it I decided I'd start fresh, eventually this will tie-in with The Intern/Employee but this was takes place years before that and will focus on a different original character besides Brandon. For those who remember The Interviewer, I think it was a good start but I think this story will work better. Instead of basically picking someone to base their physical appearance off of like I did in The Intern/Employee/Interviewer. I decided to let you guys form your own opinions on how you imagine the character looks like, I'll give details like face shape and hairstyle/color, etc; but the rest is up to you to picture him. If you haven't read The Intern/Employee I'd say do so but in this story it's not necessary.**

* * *

December 8th, 2006

Newport News, VA

Taylor rubbed his greenish-blue eyes as he set the Xbox 360 controller down and looked at the alarm clock which displayed 11:45pm. He and Brandon had just concluded a 12 game winning streak on Halo 2. Sure Brandon was 2 years younger than him but they had met in the sandbox when they were little kids and Taylor taught Brandon how to build a sandcastle and since then they've been as thick as thieves. They also bonded over their same music taste in Bright Eyes as well along with Elliott Smith. Brandon in return for being taught how to build a sandcastle, once he was older he learned how to play a guitar which his grandfather had bought him and also taught Taylor. They both liked to sing together and weren't too bad minus the voice cracks from time to time. The plan was to form a two man indie band but that's not happening due to the fact that Taylor is moving tomorrow morning.

Looking over at his best friend, who was currently laying on his bed half asleep now that they were back in the matchmaking lobby. Taylor let out a loud yawn and laid down on the floor which was covered into an assortment of blankets and pillows making the ultimate guest sleeping area. Turning off the Xbox 360, Taylor grabbed a neatly folded blanket courtesy of Brandon's mom and covered himself with it.

In both their minds tonight had been perfect; Brandon's mom had made tacos, they pwned noobs on Halo 2's Multiplayer, and listened to Bright Eyes all night. Neither one wanted to go to sleep but they were both too tired to stay up any longer as they spent the afternoon playing soccer as it was surprisingly warm today but tomorrow it would go back to being cold weather. The room was dark aside from Brandon's TV which had an annoying glow to it even though it wasn't being used they hadn't turned it off.

Taylor turned on his stomach and pulled the blanket over him "Brandon, you awake?" He whispered, trying to see if he was.

"Hmm." Brandon mumbled with his head not even moving to acknowledge that Taylor had said anything.

"Turn the TV off dude." Taylor buried his face face in the pillow. Within another few seconds the annoying glare of the TV was off and it was completely silent in the dark room.

Closing his eyes, Taylor shook his head to the right getting his moppy brownish-blonde hair out of his eyes and laid his head back down on the pillow. Thinking back to the whole moving away situation; it sucked. Sure he and Brandon would keep in touch by texting and by MySpace along with Xbox Live but not being able to go over to his house almost every Friday night just sucks. Having come from somewhat similar backgrounds with divorced parents and alcoholic fathers they sort of grew up fast and looked out for each other. Taylor's dad never abused him or his mom though, they just divorced because of his alcohol problem. Unless you count his mom's previous boyfriend who blamed him for everything to the point where his older sister stuck up for him more often than not. Now his mom married a genuinely nice guy who lives out in Columbus and now that they are back from their honeymoon, he helped her pack her things up and to come live with him in a new house which they both bought.

From the pictures his mom showed online it was a nice two story house with a decent sized backyard leading out into a wheat field and it also had a pool in the backyard along with a fire pit. The house looked nice and was in one of the better parts of Columbus. Biking to school would be a little bit longer but it wouldn't be too bad as long as he leaves early enough in the morning to beat cars at intersections and hit the button to cross them safely. From what Google images showed, Columbus is a big city but MapQuest showed it'd be pretty much a straight shot along with a few turns. He wasn't excited but it was happening regardless whether he liked it or not.

"Taylor." Brandon's voice caused him to open his eyes and look up at his friend in the darkness.

"Yea?" He asked, straining to see Brandon.

Brandon rolled over so he was looking at Taylor on the floor "You're gonna come visit me and my mom right like during the summer and winter?"

Taylor nodded his head "Yea why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know it's just gonna be weird not riding our bikes to school and eating lunch and who am I gonna play soccer with?"

Taylor shifted and propped himself up on his elbow "What about Richard?"

Brandon shook his head "He only likes football."

Taylor laid back down on the blanket bed and looked up at the ceiling which was illuminated a little bit by the street light. "I don't know man you'll figure it out." He let out another yawn "It sucks I know but we'll talk everyday and it's not the end of the world we'll kick ass on Xbox Live and visit each other when we can. Hey maybe for Christmas break this month you can come visit my new home?"

It was a good a idea and he could tell Brandon was thinking about it as silence filled the room once more. "Yea maybe I'll do that, I'll ask her I mean it's a bit of a drive like what 8 hours or something?".

"I think almost 9." Taylor corrected. "I'm gonna try and get some sleep, so goodnight dude."

"Night." He heard Brandon mumble as he turned over in his bed causing it to squeak a little bit.

The next morning was a rather somber one much like Smackdown last week. Brandon's mom made a good breakfast with pancakes topped with maple syrup, bacon, and eggs. And after a quiet breakfast and shower Taylor saw his mom and stepdad pull into the driveway at 9am. Hugging Brandon and his mom one last time, he stepped out into the bitter winter cold and headed towards the warm car which would take him far away to a place he's never been. Climbing into the 2006 Nissan Altima, Taylor set his overnight bag in the floor on the passenger side and leaned back in the seat as it'd be a long car ride and he was still tired from the previous night so he could use the sleep.

 **A/N: So I know the first chapter is kinda short and I had planned for it to be a little bit longer but it I figured the car ride would be a good stopping point and I'll probably update again this weekend with a longer chapter. With that being said, I hope you guys enjoy and feedback is welcome and appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2

First Day of School (Again)

 **A/N: I wrote the last chapter half asleep so that's why there's spelling and grammar mistakes which I corrected. Anyways without further ado here is the next chapter.**

December 12th, 2006

Columbus, OH

Pulling a beanie over his head covering his ears, Taylor put on his winter coat and slung his backpack over his shoulders. Both his mom and stepdad had already left for work so he was left to lock up the house before he leaves. Heading into the garage which was still opened he moved his bike outside resting it against the side of the house. Heading back into the garage he pressed the button and shut the garage door and headed inside the house. Feeling his pockets for his phone, and house keys he made sure he had everything he needed and headed out of the front door; shutting and locking it behind him. Heading down the steps he grabbed his bike and hopped on and began making his way to school.

He had memorized the route making sure he knew where and when to turn. The air was more cold here almost like death in a way. It had sleeted the previous night and had rained a little bit earlier this morning which now caused parts of the sidewalk to be frozen over. The sky was dark and cloudy and it was suppose to rain later today. Taylor had left a little bit early to make sure he can get to the front office in time before the frenzy of people get there. His mom had got him registered yesterday and he was stuck with whatever electives they had available and he'd find out once he got to the front office. The suburban area in which he lived led straight down into the city. Grabbing the handbrake more often than he would have liked he had to slow down few times to balance himself on the icy sidewalk. Getting into the city wasn't that bad but getting around it was horrible. He must've waited at least 20 minutes total adding up all the intersections he had to wait through until he could cross.

Turning right he was on the right street as his school was in sight just a few blocks away. Checking his phone for the time which showed that it was 7:30am he had a little bit of time before school started close to 8am. Making sure there were no cars coming he hopped on the road and changed sides hopping off the bike and placing it on the sidewalk and peddled to school. Coming to a stop in the school parking lot, he texted his mom and told her that he had made it safely to school. Looking around for a second he spotted the bike rack which was near a side entrance to the school. Peddling over there he hopped off his bike and propped it up in the rack before securing his chain lock around it. Giving the chain a nice tug he felt his back pocket for the key which he was relieved was there because he thought he had forgotten something.

"Nice bike!" The voice caught him off guard, standing up and turning around he was met with a man who looked to be maybe in his early 30's with red hair pulled back into a ponytail and a scruffy beard. He also noticed a small bald spot on the mans head.

Taylor smiled "Thanks, I've had it forever and it's always done it's job back home in Virginia."

The man chuckled "So you've just moved here I take it?" He adjusted the strap on his shoulder making the satchel he was carrying more comfortable.

Taylor nodded "Yea over the weekend, it's a big change from Newport News."

The older man stuck out his hand "Well pleased to meet you Mr.-"

"Schone, Taylor Schone." Taylor told him his name as they shook hands.

The man had a strong handshake "I'm Mr. Hodgkins, I teach 10th grade English and am also head of the film club. Do you have your schedule or is today your first day?"

"First day unfortunately."

Mr. Hodgkins chuckled "I remember my first day teaching, I was nervous and sweating profusely I changed shirts during my lunch period. Since it's your first day I doubt you know your way around the school yet I'll walk you to the front office." Mr. Hodgkins walked up to the side entrance with Taylor and swiped his id card unlocking the door. The two of them entered the school and began making their way towards the office. The school was quiet aside from them and a few teachers chatting down the hallway.

"So Mr. Schone tell me about yourself." Mr. Hodgkins greeted the teachers as they passed by them in the hallway.

Taylor looked around the hallways and saw a few students which looked like freshmen. "I grew up in Virginia for all my life, my parents divorced and my mom remarried and now here we are in Ohio where it's freezing and it snows more here than Virginia. As for school subjects I excelled in English and history as it's pretty easy but I did absolutely horrible in math and I did alright in science. My two electives were French and photography. So that's just a basic wrap sheet of myself, what about you Mr. Hodgkins, I'm sure you've got some insane wild college party stories."

This received a chuckle from Mr. Hodgkins as they took a left and were now in the main area approaching the office. "Well maybe my freshman year of college I was a bit wild but I was very serious about my studies and the reason why I became a teacher is so I could possibly change and shape my students lives for the better through English. I'm a big Shakespeare guy which you'll soon find out if you have my class. One of my favorite movies is Before Sunrise as it is basically just two people who meet by chance and through the entire course of a day they just walk around and explore Vienna; I like it because it's like they aren't acting at all it's like they were just dropped there and the camera started rolling and the director said alright just be yourselves. Of course it's all script but it's so natural." They came to a stop at the front office and Mr. Hodgkins shook his hand once again.

"Well young Padawan this is where I leave you until you come to English class, it was nice meeting you and I hope you enjoy your time here at school and enjoy Ohio and all it has to offer." And with that Mr. Hodgkins headed down the hallway.

Taylor headed into the front office and was greeted by a old lady with glasses sitting behind the front desk. She looked down at him and flashed him a warm smile.

"Hi! how can I help you?" She reminded Taylor of his grandma. He returned her smile with one of his own.

"Um, it's my first day here and I need to get my locker and class schedule." Now that his first day was actually starting he was starting to feel butterflies in his stomach.

She looked down at her desk sifting through papers "What's your name?"

"Taylor Schone." He answered.

She sifted through the papers mumbling his name for a moment until she found it. She handed him his class schedule and lo and behold he had homeroom with Mr. Hodgkins. His schedule was pretty much the same as it was at his old high school except he was in computer repair instead of photography which he wasn't to bummed out about. Footsteps outside the office were becoming more prevalent and louder.

"Ms. Bliss!" The older woman shouted from behind the desk.

"What!?" The girl sounded annoyed to be called into the front office. Taylor turned around and saw a girl standing just a few inches shorter than him. Her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail and her bright blue eyes showed annoyance which only confirmed Taylor's thoughts about her. Looking behind her; Taylor noticed the swarm of students had arrived.

The woman behind the desk smiled "Can you please show Taylor here his locker and his way to first period?"

She groaned "Why me though?"

"Because you two share the same homeroom and his locker is beside your's, that's why." The older woman answered her question.

"Fine." The girl huffed. "Come with me then I guess." Taylor followed her out and into the hallway. She had air of authority about her almost like royalty, like a queen or something.

The hallway was packed with student and it was sort of hard to keep track of her as they pushed their way through the crowds. Eventually they got through to them and the crowd began to dissolve as students found their way to classrooms or lockers. They stopped in front of a row of lockers which was opposite of Mr. Hodgkins classroom. They were still on the first floor, all they did was head out of the office and turn left and keep going straight. Taylor looked at his schedule and then spun the dial and put in the combination and opened his locker and began getting situated. Taking of his beanie he shook his hair and ran his fingers through it combing it down a bit. He shook his head to the right and got his hair out of his eyes.

"What's your name?" He asked the girl who had shown him to first period.

She shut her locker "Alexa, but don't plan on thinking we're gonna be friends just because Mrs. Sims made me show you to first period. I have a reputation to keep up and I can't be seen with the likes of you. So this is where we stop talking." She headed into first period. Taylor shut his locker and headed into first period.

* * *

For the most part first period was uneventful. Taylor signed a piece of paper for a English textbook and just tried to get caught up with the rest of the class in what they were learning until the very end. Mr. Hodgkins wheeled in a car full of small handheld video cameras to the front of the classroom and looked around at the puzzled look on the students faces. Clasping his hands together Mr. Hodgkins smiled

"The puzzled look on your faces doesn't surprise me. For those of you who don't know, I'm also head of the film club here at school and I figured why not give you guys a project that's worth a full letter grade so for those of you that aren't doing so well here is a chance to raise your grade. And for those of you that are this is a chance to maintain that grade if you don't do well on the final. So essentially you and a partner of my choice can film anything." Mr. Hodgkins paused as a few cheers came from some of the male students.

"Let me reiterate, what I mean by anything is that you can film just about anything from nature to everyday life, as long as it's pg and appropriate for school. This is also in part that Mr. Phillips; the guidance counselor wants to make sure all you guys get along with one another. Accompanying the film is a one page essay explaining what you chose to film, why you chose it, and what you've learned from it." Mr. Hodgkins cleared his throat "Now I'll give the cameras to those I feel are the most responsible upon the group of two. Then I'll read the pairings for this project." Mr. Hodgkins began going down the rows of students handing them cameras. Once all the students for the groups had cameras, Mr. Hodgkins returned to the front of the room with the cart. Heading to his desk he grabbed the name sheet of those who he had paired up and began reading down the list.

Taylor was given a camera and just sat at his desk as Mr. Hodgkins read down the list. He didn't know anybody and they didn't know him. He was pretty responsible, or at least he'd like to think so. Taking care of a video camera would be easy plus the essay at the end would be a piece of cake. So far his first day of school was going alright except for the fact that Alexa was kind of a bitch to him. But aside from his day was going alright but it was only first period and it could get worse.

"Taylor and Alexa." Mr. Hodgkins announced as two girls in the class squealed in delight. He looked at the two girls and then shook his head "Oh I guess I should've read the last names, that's Taylor Schone, not Taylor Smith. So Alexa your partners with this Taylor not that Taylor.". Mr. Hodgkins corrected much to the disappointment of both girls.

"But Mr. Hodgkins that's not fair I don't know him, nobody here does. Why do I have to be his partner?" Alexa voiced her opinion.

Mr. Hodgkins shrugged "I and Mr. Phillips came up with the list of people who we think would work good together and if you have a problem you can take it up with him." He finished reading off the names before clasping his hands together and glancing at the clock on the wall. "So now that you all are sorted away, the project is due during finals week, our finals are the second week of January on Tuesday. On Monday of that week you guys will hand in the video cameras and we will watch your short films or documentaries. You can use the school laptops to edit the film in Windows Movie Maker and other than that have a good rest of your day and I'll see you guys Thursday." The bell rang and class was dismissed.

Alexa stood up and began packing up her stuff obviously upset about not getting paired with Taylor Smith but instead the new kid. Taylor had packed up his stuff and headed to his locker where he put the video camera in along with his English textbook. Shutting his locker he came face to face with Alexa. She leaned against her locker with her arms crossed.

"So new kid here's how this is going to work. You're going to do all of this project and just add my name at the end. Got it?" Alexa tried to tower over him even though she was shorter than him.

Taylor shook his head and chuckled "Yea right if I do that, I'm not crediting you for my work. If you want to bump up your grade or maintain it then we need to be in this together. So for the documentary I'm thinking everyday life, which will mean we need to hangout in school and outside of school. And don't say that's not gonna happen because if you need this letter grade then you gotta make it happen. As for outside of school my bike has pegs on the back you can ride or in the front on the handlebars. I'm sure I can get my mom to give me ride to your house or vice ver-"

She put a finger up to his lips "First off, shut-up you talk too much, second of all, I'm Queen of 10th grade, I'm one of the most popular people here and I can't be seen with you here nor there, I can't be seen with you anywhere. So get whatever little fantasies you have out of your head and due your part of the project." She sighed knowing she'd actually have to do this project "You do your part and I'll do mine, got it?"

He nodded his head "So how will we talk outside of school?"

She looked at him as if he was living under a rock his whole life "Are you stupid? We'll talk on MySpace duh. I'm not giving you my number. She opened her locker and grabbed her world history textbook "I gotta go to world history, see ya." She slammed the locker shut and stormed past him leaving him there. He looked down at his schedule for his next class; world history.

"Shit." He said out loud and began running down the hallways trying to find Alexa's short stature in the sea of students. If he can't find her and the bell rings he's kinda fucked. So far his first day is going shitty; he has to work with Alexa who so far is being a bitch and he might be late for history and has no idea where the class is.

The bell rang and he sprinted towards the stairs and he saw people holding world history textbooks and followed them to the class keeping a few feet back so they wouldn't notice him. He had made his way to history and sat down only to be asked by the teacher come to the front of the class and introduce himself. Taylor wondered if his day could get any worse as he stood up and began the dreaded walk to the front of the classroom and introduced himself to the teacher and the class. It was like the first day of the school year all over again.

 **A/N: And that was chapter two I hope you guys enjoyed and as always feedback is appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 3

All About Alexa

 **A/N: Sorry for not updating in like almost a month, works been busy and I've just been busy outside of work. Without further ado here the next chapter I hope you guys enjoy.**

December 15th, 2006

The rest of the week had sort of flew by and Taylor had slowly been adjusting to life in Ohio. He had added Alexa on MySpace and even though she accepted the friend request she'd hardly talk to him about the project or anything else for that matter. But yesterday however she had suggested that today her mom will pick him up from his house later in the afternoon once they get home from school, and that her mom will drop them off at the mall so they can work on the project since that's what Alexa wants to do. Since he didn't really have a say in the matter, he reluctantly agreed. So now here he is on a Friday afternoon waiting for Alexa and her mom to show up. His room had a window view facing the front of the house. The walls were painted a light yet deep shade of blue which he liked, his bed was close to the window but with just enough room between to where he can plug in his phone and laptop charger and still touch the window seal.

For the project she had wanted it to be all about her and Taylor thought it was a good idea to really show the world who she really was and for what he saw her as, if anything this whole thing would only confirm it. Grabbing the video camera he turned it on and turned it around to where he was facing it and started recording.

"So for those of you who don't know me and depending on when we hand in the cameras for the final submission, uh my names Taylor Schone. I just moved here from Virginia and it's currently, Friday; December 15th, 2006. 3:45pm. My partner for this assignment is Alexa Bliss and she the so called 'Queen' of our grade so uh yea that's who I decided to do my assignment on and as you guessed it she also agreed it was a good idea." He looked out the window and still saw no sign of Alexa and her mom, she didn't even tell him what car they'd be in. Focusing his attention back on the camera he started to talk more. "So right now I'm currently waiting for Alexa and her mom to get here to come pick me up and then we're heading to the Easton Town Center which I've never been but it sounds busy and crowded. So hopefully I don't lose sight of Alexa.". The sound of a car pulling into the driveway made Taylor looked out the window and see Alexa sitting the passenger seat. It was a mini-van which looked brand new so he guessed her family had a bit of money.

Quickly ending the recording and heading downstairs he made a mental note to edit out the quick ending. Grabbing his jacket he put it on and put the video camera in the jacket pocket.

"I'm coming out with you to meet this girl and her mom." His mother walked him out the door and headed to the driver window while he went around the passenger side of the van and opened the sliding door and climbed in, shutting it behind him. Alexa pulled the sun visor down while their moms talked for a little bit exchanging contact information.

Alexa looked at him through the mirror on the visor "Hey did you bring the video camera?"

He nodded his head "Yea it's in my pocket.". He didn't get a response back. After a few more minutes their mothers stopped talking as his mom went back in the house and Alexa's backed out of the driveway and started heading towards the Easton Town Center. The Plaine White T's started playing on the radio as they got to the end of the street.

Her mom looked at him through the mirror "So Taylor, it's nice to meet you. Alexa's mom or Mrs. Bliss whichever you prefer. Your mom told me you just moved here from Virginia. How you liking it here so far?"

Taylor leaned back in the seat "It's alright I guess, Hillard Davidson High School isn't so bad, a little bit bigger than my high school back home. I haven't really been around Columbus yet though so..." He trailed off.

"Well I'm sure you'll love it once you give it a chance, won't he Alexa?" Her mother looked over at her.

"Yea sure." She answered unenthusiasticlly.

The rest of the drive to shopping complex was filled with small talk mostly about what Taylor liked to do and stuff with Alexa voicing her opinion here and there. It was a chilly Friday afternoon as they pulled up into the parking lot drop off area. Taylor climbed out of the van thanking her mom for the lift. Alexa hopped out and told her mom that'd she text her when their ready to go. The Easton Town Center from what he had heard about on the car ride over was a outdoor/indoor shopping complex and was built to be somewhat like old town America with a small town feel as everything is just right there and in view. Taylor pulled out the video camera and started recording some extra footage for the project before focusing on Alexa.

"Alright so I'm here with Alexa at the Easton Town Center and it's my first time being here, and I gotta say it actually looks pretty cool." Taylor panned the camera around before Alexa grabbed it and focused it on her.

"Taylor your not taking photographs or videos of useless stuff, focus on me and me only." She gave the camera a smile and giggled "So we're gonna go shopping and get clothes and whatever else I wanna do.".

Taylor followed her as they made their way past the crowds of people. Heading inside he kept the camera on her as she looked at the map directory for a moment.

"So where we headed?" Taylor asked Alexa as he moved in beside her to look at the map.

She looked at the camera and smiled "Macy's."

Keeping the camera focused on her, they made their way through the indoor shopping area and walked around for a few minutes. The place itself had opened up in 1999 and since then has gone through 2 phases and add-ons to the town center which also included a giant fountain and a movie area outside during the summer months for movies under the moonlight. Taking a left and heading down past the bathrooms they came to a stop at Macy's department store.

"This is gonna be fun." Alexa led Taylor in through the store to the ladies section where she began grabbing as many tops and jeans along with some accessories before heading into the changing room while Taylor sat on a stool waiting outside of the changing area.

He turned the camera to face him "So from what I can gather not only she a bit stuck-up for a better word instead of one that starts with the letter b. But also loves clothes, which I guess is something that every girl loves. It's almost like these traits were instilled in her at a young age. Also I found out that despite starting out kinds on the lower income scale her family is now on the opposite end of that spectrum and they go to Disney land or world I always mix the two up, but it's the one in Florida, they go there, like every year which is insane." Taylor looked up as he heard footsteps coming from the changing room "I think that's her now." He redirected the camera towards the changing room.

Alexa walked out wearing a tank top and shorts she spun around "Well how do I look?"

"Cheap" Taylor said under his breath "Uh does my opinion matter to you?" He asked her.

She nodded her head and shrugged "Well since your the only guy here um yea, it does so you love it or hate it?"

He had to admit she looked good and if they somehow became friends and by the time summer comes, he wouldn't mind seeing what she looked like in a bikini at the beach.

"Yea no it looks good on you." Taylor answered honestly.

She smiled and thanked him before heading back into the changing room to try on new outfits. Taylor faced the camera again and sighed "Well after tonight, I've got a lot of editing to do and from the way it's going, it's going to be a long night but at least it's Friday."

* * *

"So this is your room?" Taylor looked around the large room which had a light shade of pink yet dark enough to which it complimented the carpet. She a small walk-in closet and a TV on her dresser along with a desk and computer. He spotted an acoustic guitar in the corner of the bedroom. Her mom had picked them up after a few hours of shopping and walking and talking about school while he filmed all of it. She tried on a lot of outfits but only bought like 3 or 4 of them. Her mom had invited him over for dinner which was just pizza and since they had a project to work on her parents let the two of them eat upstairs in her room. He had the camera in his jacket pocket and was fumbling with it trying to pull it out. Setting the plate of pizza down on the ground, he took of his jacket and set it on the bed.

"Mhm." She shut the door behind him. "Hey uh, you mind not filming for just a bit?".

He couldn't believe what he just heard, she actually asked him something and in a polite manner. The whole tone and vibe he was getting from her earlier just shifted. Was he going to get to know the real Alexa? He pondered the thought and nodded his head.

"Yea it's fine, I got tired of holding the camera anyways." She giggled at his response.

"You held it for a longtime so I can see why." She sat down on her bed while he pulled up a beanbag chair and plopped down in it. That was the first time he had heard giggle, a genuine giggle. Not a giggle that'd you see at the mall or school. She grabbed the remote and looked at him.

"So you wanna watch some TV while we eat or just chit chat?" Alexa gave him the option since he's a guest.

He took a bite out of the greasy pepperoni pizza "Chit chat." He swallowed the bite of pizza before talking to her "Who are you?"

She smiled and gave him a quizzical look "What do you mean?"

"The girl that I'm talking to now, that's not the same girl I go to school with." He answered her question.

Alexa took a bite of her pizza "Yea well I know I'm pretty much a bitch to you at school and pretty much everywhere else but, I have a public image and reputation to keep up, it's like I told you at school I can't be seen with you."

It kinda hurt him a little bit to hear that and Alexa somehow picked up on it.

"But here is fine, I can be myself when I'm home which means I can be seen with you." She took another bite of her pizza.

He groaned "But come monday-"

"I'm back to being a bitch to you." Alexa finished for him "So are you going to the Christmas dance next Friday night?"

Taylor shook his head. Why would he? He just moved here. "No I'm not, are you going."

Alexa nodded her head "Yea with friends, I would've gone with my boyfriend well I should say ex-boyfriend, we dated for a year and kept pressuring me into having sex with him and when I did, I don't know it seemed like all he wanted was sex so I ended it with him just the other day."

This was surprising news to Taylor as he assumed she would've been taken. What's even more surprising is she doesn't seem to be upset or faced by it. "So your not like upset or anything about it?"

She shook her head "He wasn't the first one to break my heart and when he just started wanting sex, I mentally checked out and avoided the pain of being hurt. So to answer your question, no I'm not upset." Alexa laid on her stomach towards the end of her bed "What about you, you got a girlfriend or had a girlfriend back home?"

Taylor chuckled "Never, which I know is surprising."

Alexa looked at him wide-eyed "Wait so you've never had a girlfriend, a first kiss, or sex?"

He nodded "Never ever. To be honest I was always the shy quiet guy, my parents are split they divorced when I was younger and I never really had a dad, I mean I do and I see him a few times a year but me and him don't have that connection like my sister and him do. It's more like yea it's my dad but we're more like buddy buddy however when the occasion seems fit he rises up to it and becomes my dad if that makes sense." Realizing that he got off topic he tried to steer it back "So back to me, um I guess if I had the father figure in my life, I don't know yea I'd be more confident and maybe would've had a girlfriend but I don't know.".

Alexa pushed her plate aside having only taken a few bites of pizza. Taylor noticed it and looked at her.

"Your not hungry?" His voice showed concern. He didn't remember seeing her at lunch today either.

She shrugged "I mean I'm fine, if I get hungry later then I'll eat I guess." She headed over to the guitar and picked it up, returning the sit on the bed.

"So you play guitar, teach me." Alexa perked up and when she did her blue eyes lit up and show her interest "Hurry up and finish your pizza."

Taylor almost choked on it "Give me a minute." He hurried up and finished his pizza before wiping his hands on his pants. He started explaining to her the different strings and what they mean and the higher and lower chords and hand/finger positioning. She strummed it and Taylor could immediately tell it was out of tune.

"Let me tune it for you and play a song for you." Taylor grabbed the guitar and began strumming the strings individually tuning it to the song he was going to play which was by one of his and Brandon's favorite bands; Bright Eyes. After about a 3 minutes of tuning he strummed the strings as they all came together and sounded in tune.

Alexa had a shocked look on her face "You sing to?"

Taylor nodded "If you would stop being mean to me at school and actually listened to the conversation me and your mom had in the car you would've known that I also sing instead of just playing guitar, you silly goose open them ears." He said, adding and overdoing southern twang at the end of it. He didn't really have a southern accent aside from a few words and pronunciations. If anything it sounded like a regular voice, at least in his opinion.

She giggled and punched his arm "Your a silly goose, now play me a song!"

He giggled "So demanding" Strumming the strings one more time he cleared his throat "So this song is by a band called Bright Eyes and it's called: An Attempt to Tip The Scales. Now I don't have the best singing voice but bare with me." Clearing his throat one more time he began playing the song, allowing himself to really channel his energy and emotion into it. Alexa had reached into his jacket pocket, grabbed the camera; keeping it at her side and not moving it she started filming. After he finished the song, he set the guitar down and headed out into the hallway to use the bathroom, having asked her where the bathroom was. He swore he heard Alexa talking to herself as he shut the bathroom door.

* * *

Taylor put on his jacket as Alexa handed him the video camera "Don't lose this, it fell out of your pocket." He smiled at her and put it back in his pocket "Thanks."

She held her hand out "Give me your phone."

He looked at her confused "Why?"

"So I can put in my number and get yours." Taylor handed her his phone and she punched in her number on the slider keyboard before texting herself and giving it back to him. Putting it back in his pocket, her mom began walking out with him as his mom pulled up and her dad shook his hand and told him it was a pleasure meeting him. Taylor stepped out into the chilly weather as he waved bye to Alexa and walked down the steps towards his moms Nissan Maxima. Her mother and his mother talked for a minute while Taylor climbed in the passenger seat and got situated. Pulling out the video camera he saw a new video which was odd because there should only be one video. The thumbnail showed Taylor holding the guitar. Pressing play he watched the video of himself playing the guitar, he sounded horrible in his opinion. Once the song ended and she pointed to him where the bathroom was the camera was picked up by Alexa and she was facing it.

"You aren't the only one who's doing filming on this project, I decided to also film your life as well. This won't be on the project but I thought you'd just wanna watch and hear yourself play, also you are definitely teaching me guitar and you aren't that bad of a singer, I liked the song you sang but I don't know if Bright Lights or whatever their name is for me. Also look up at the front door to see me." Taylor looked up at the front door to see Alexa giggling and waving at him. He returned his focus to the camera "I think ahead Taylor, you'll come to realize that, um so now that I've gotten your number I say we hangout tomorrow at your house at say 9am that way our parents will be up in time and it'll be in the morning and we can hangout and shoot some more stuff for the project and get to know each other better. And no don't you think for a second that this will lead to anything romantic, I'm not in a good place right now to have a relationship, but I'm down for being friends, you seem pretty cool. I bet your a gamer! Anyways your coming out of the bathroom now so I gotta put this on the floor and say it fell out of your jacket when we get downstairs so see ya tomorrow!" The video ended and Taylor was left shocked and surprised.

Alexa has an abundance of energy and is actually pretty quick and smart on her feet. He didn't get the whole romantic part, he had just met her and what is she afraid she'll catch feeling for him or something? He pushed the thought out of his head as his mom backed out of the driveway and started heading home.

Today had been good, he had made a new friend, and got to meet the real Alexa. Which is a good thing because this project is all about Alexa. He smiled to himself at the fun he had this afternoon. The thought of doing it all over again tomorrow, minus the shopping just made him feel happy and anxious for tomorrow to come. Thinking back to the romantic thing she mentioned in the video he started to wonder if he wasn't just talking about her, but himself as well? His smile faded as he realized what this new feeling was and in one day the impossible had happened, he was inadvertently starting to slowly, yet surely fall for Alexa Bliss; the queen of 10th grade. What has he gotten himself into? That question stayed with him for the rest of the car ride home and he talked to his mom about the afternoon and evening.

 **A/N: So I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, it's a bit longer than the last one which I didn't mind as I had to start building the rising action of the story. Anyways as always without further ado follow/favorite. And I usually ask questions to you guys at the end of the chapter and this chapters questions are: How do you like the story so far and what do you think is gonna happen next? I'll try and update more often, sorry about the late update guys.**


	4. Chapter 4

Seeing Patterns

 **A/N: Sorry for not updating in almost a month, I know I said I would try and keep it consistent but a lot has been happening lately I haven't had time to do it. So without further ado here is the next chapter.**

December 18th, 2006

Taylor re-watched the video footage from the last few days with Alexa. He didn't see her at lunch today and they have the same lunch schedule. She always seemed to be either not eating or not eating enough for someone her age. He googled how much someone her age should be eating and she wasn't eating enough. Saturday was fun. They sat around for a bit and he taught her how to play some chords on the guitar and they filmed more stuff for the project. Like her getting her winter boots stuck in a muddy frozen part of the woods. So far the project had sort of become about them every so slowly revolving around the two of them. He decided he would leave in the footage of him singing in the project.

Even though they had only spent a few days hanging out together and even though she told him and warned him about catching feelings for her, he couldn't help it. Often times he'd find himself wondering about her and worrying about her because she isn't eating right. Taylor was beginning to see patterns with her eating habits, it would always be a little bit here or there, maybe a full meal a day if she was feeling it. Opening up Microsoft Word, he began typing up the essay for the first half of the project but Alexa seemed to clog his mind. Grabbing his phone he sent her a quick text.

 _"Hey are you alright?"_ Hitting send,he set his phone down. Almost immediately he received a response.

 _"Yea I'm fine, what's up?"_.

 _"I'm worried about you, you aren't eating enough, I know it's none of my business but your my friend and I care about you, you weren't at lunch today."_ Taylor re-read his text message before hitting send. Today at school she was nowhere near as mean to him as she usually is. And that's saying something because she's always uptight about her reputation. Alexa sent him a text. Opening his phone he read it.

 _"You sound like my mom. I'm fine Taylor, if I wasn't fine I would know. We have a little less than a month left for the project let's just hurry up and get it done."_

Taylor sighed in frustration. He knew he was angering her, but she needs help.

 _"K."_ Taylor hit send and rubbed his eyes. He was tired from working on the project for the last few hours. If she was gonna be like that then, fine he didn't care. If only that were the case, because he does care; probably too much but that's just who he is. Looking over at his alarm clock which read 10:22pm he got up and turned off his computer before climbing into bed for the night.

* * *

December 19th, 2006

The next day hadn't been any better. Shutting his locker about to head to lunch, he came face to face with Alexa. She had ignored him all day which was normal but she hadn't texted him at all which wasn't normal. He was beginning to make friends finally like Preston and Ryan and it felt good to finally start integrating within the community. He started to feel like he belonged.

Alexa had her hair down and she looked angry. Her blue eyes were glued to his as students around them rushed to get to class or lunch.

"Why are you looking at me like you wanna kill me?" Taylor leaned against his locker.

She pressed a finger to his chest "You talked to my mom last Sunday when you came over to our house and now she is convinced that she's starting to see a pattern with my eating habits."

Taylor was about to speak but she put a finger to his lips.

"Then last night you text me confronting me about it, I told you I'm fine but my mom isn't convinced and neither is my dad. You inadvertently got me kicked off my competitive cheer squad because my mom told the coach, god I wish you never moved here. And when this project is done, don't ever talk to me again!" She stormed passed him down the hallway.

"Is everything alright out here?" Mr. Hodgekins stuck his head out of the classroom.

Taylor looked at Mr. Hodgekins and shook his head "No, I think I may have ruined Alexa's life and have lost a friend."

Mr. Hodgekins motioned for Taylor to come into his classroom which was empty because Mr. Hodgekins was on his lunch period.

"Taylor do you buy lunch or pack it?" Mr. Hodgekins asked him.

Holding up his backpack Taylor pointed to it "I packed it today."

"That's good, uh well your free to spend your lunch period with me if you'd like, how's the project going?" Mr. Hodgekins returned to his desk.

Taylor sat down at his desk and took out his lunch which consisted of a baloney sandwich, a small bag of Pringles, a fresh apple, and a bottle of Gatorade. Taking a bite of his sandwich he thought about what had just transpired and felt bad about it. Was he really the one who got her kicked off her competitive cheer team?. He hoped not. Swallowing the bite of food, Taylor cleared his throat.

"Good but I think I may have lost a friend in the process." Taylor leaned back in his chair.

Mr. Hodgekins took a bite of his salad "If you wanna talk to me about it you can but don't feel obligated to do so."

Taylor smiled "No I think it's good that I talk to the Jedi Master about this, maybe you can usher in some guidance."

This received a chuckle from Mr. Hodgekins "So was this droid the one your looking for?"

Taylor laughed "So Alexa didn't really like me at all, in fact I think she hated me. And when you paired me with her for the project I was gonna do the project about her and show everyone how much of a...well you know what I'm trying to say but in fact she isn't like that at all once you get to know her. And we sort of hit it off on our first day filming and we opened up to one another and became fast friends. And now I think I ruined our friendship because I'm worried about her not eating enough, I think she may have a eating disorder."

Mr. Hodgekins set his fork down and wiped his mouth with a napkin "Taylor your friendship with Alexa is not ruined, teenagers have a lot of hormones running through them 24/7 and act irrationally, the fact that you guys hit it off so early tells me that this isn't the end of your friendship, I understand your concern for her as a friend and I overheard your conversation with her out in the hallway. There is no way you are to blame for her getting kicked off her team, so don't beat yourself up too much about it, if however given the circumstances and if it turns out she does have a eating disorder she may need to be hospitalized depending on how serious it is and if that happens, just turn in what you have along with the essay and the both of you will be fine I guarantee it. She'll come around Taylor, trust me."

"Thank you Mr. Hodgekins, it's kind of nice having a cool teacher like you who understands his students and gets to know the real them." Taylor took another bite of his sandwich.

"Well thank you for the compliment Taylor, my teaching style as has always been about the students, I can't teach them and help them understand Shakespeare and write essays about events going on in the world unless we all find common ground, I'm the hip young cool teacher from what I've heard from all the other teachers because I can relate to my students, I know what it's like to be in your shoes. I like to have fun in here even though majority of the students don't appreciate it. Like next Friday we're having a movie day in here just to celebrate the holiday season. So you guys can feel free to work on the project or just watch movies and eat popcorn."

Mr. Hodgekins clasped his hands together "Which reminds me, are you going to the Christmas dance this Friday night?"

Taylor shook his head "No."

"Aw come on Taylor it'll be fun, you should come. As a matter in fact you should ask Alexa to the dance."

Taylor almost choked on his food "Ask her to the dance in front of the people who see me as a nobody and her a queen, are you insane?"

"No I'm not insane I'm your teacher." Mr. Hodgekins took another bite of his salad "Besides I can see it in that girls eyes that these are going to be trying times for her and even though she won't admit it, she needs a friend like you in her life. I think after the dance, she's gonna hit rock bottom and then rise from the ashes and be reborn. In truth I ran into her parents at Wal-Mart yesterday evening and they asked about Alexa and if I was noticing anything odd about her, I told them no but she is looking a bit on the thin side, more frail if you will. But yea you should ask her and show her a good time trust me she'll remember it forever. But don't have too much of a good time otherwise there might be a new member to the family."

The two of them finished up their lunch and then talked about the classic authors and poets of different eras and a bit about movies and philosophy versus religion and had a good debate about it all that by the time lunch was over they both had a good laugh about it all and went their separate ways. Maybe Mr. Hodgekins was right about Alexa needing a friend like him now more than ever. If he was then in a bad way that'd be good because that'd mean that she didn't mean what she said about not wanting to talk to him ever again. He doubted she'd wanna go to the dance with him. But maybe asking her will catch her off guard and she'd say yes? Grabbing his backpack he headed out the classroom to his locker and head to his next class.

 **A/N: So this chapter isn't as long as usual but it's a good chapter to keep the story progressing. So as always this chapters questions are: How do you think Taylor is gonna ask Alexa to the dance if he does? What do you think is gonna happen after the dance?**


	5. Mini-Chapter 5

The Truth Hurts

 **A/N: So here's the next chapter, it's a mini chapter just to get the story rolling again. I hope you guys enjoy and always feedback is appreciated.**

"No." The answer was direct and simple and it hurt, like a knife going through your heart. Alexa shut her locker and headed for the exit of the school. Taylor shut his locker, still in somewhat shock and feeling betrayed by Mr. Hodgekins; the one guy Taylor thought he could trust and come to. The man had set him up to get hurt and for what?

"Taylor." Mr. Hodgekins was leaning against the door frame of his classroom.

Taylor glared at him; trying to hide the pain he was in "Why did you lie to me?"

Mr. Hodgekins crossed his arms "It wasn't a lie."

"You said I should ask her and that she'll remember it forever and that she'd say yes, but she didn't." He grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulders "I...I trusted you and you let me down."

"Taylor." Mr. Hodgekins put his hands up to try and calm the young man down "I never said she would say yes, all I said was you should ask her which you did and I know the truth hurts but she'll remember you asked he-"

"Just shut up." Taylor looked at him "Your a mad man who talks in riddles, it's all gibberish." Taking a breath, Taylor sighed "Look Mr. Hodgekins I'm sorry for going off on you but I need to go."

Mr. Hodgekins stepped out of the classroom and shut his door "No it's quite alright Taylor, I understand where your coming from uh just have a safe trip home and see you tomorrow."

Taylor began heading for the exit. Today had been a disaster. Heading down the hallway and taking a left he came to an abrupt stop when he saw Alexa getting bullied by some of the other popular students in their grade. Taylor slowly stepped back behind the corner and watched.

"Well, well little Ms. Bliss is looking rather thin, what's the matter your parents not able to afford food?" A brunette who he recognized as Kelsie Wells pushed Alexa against the locker knocking the books out of her hand. Sure Alexa saying no to him upset him but still he'd like to think their still friends.

"I've watched from the sidelines as you wrapped the 10th grade around your finger from September until now, but now that your sickly and have a eating disorder nobody is gonna want to hangout with you, no guys will chase you, you'll be just like everybody else; a nobody, a loser. Your ride at the top is over, now it's time for you to rejoin the rest of the world." The entourage of the popular kids headed for the exit as Alexa broke down right there in the hallway and began crying. A part of him wanted to leave her there and make her feel the pain she just caused him.

But he knew no matter how bad she hurt him, he couldn't bare to see it happen to her. Turning the corner he headed over to where she was leaned up against the locker balling her eyes out. She didn't look up as he approached.

"Hey." Taylor looked down at her. Alexa looked up at him, her blue eyes now red and raw from crying.

"Hey." She replied weakly, climbing to her feet.

Taylor scratched the back of his head "I'm about to head home, you want a ride? We don't have to talk about today if anything I wanna put it behind us. Forget I asked you to the dance, I know I'm dumb and I overstepped boundaries and if you're gonna friend zone me then I get it. On the social hierarchy that is high school popularity we shouldn't be friends. I saw what happened and to be honest a part of me wanted to leave you here crying alone all by yourself." He paused and felt his face getting red as he has trouble expressing how he really feels at times.

He looked down away from her and then looked up at her and locked eyes "I-I couldn't do it I couldn't stand to see you suffer like that and I hope that things aren't awkward between us and I know I probably made it awkward but if it isn't obvious already, then I'm just gonna come out and say it, I like you and I wanna be more than friends and I know that probably sounds creepy but that's how I feel, I'm very friendly and I trust people that I probably shouldn't and I don't know I take to people pretty fast and you are no exception." Taylor paused again having trouble finding the right words.

"And so yeah I know I've only known you a short while but yea." Taylor could feel his face was as red as a tomato.

Alexa wiped her eyes and was kind of shocked and Taylor having told her how he really feels. She wiped her eyes and sighed as she knew what she'd have to do and she knew how he was gonna take it.

"Taylor, look you're a great guy and all but I'm not looking for a relationship at the moment, people think I have a eating disorder. It's not you it's me, I don't know how to put this kindly." She didn't wanna say this but he left her no choice "I don't like you like that, I don't see you that way." She looked into his eyes and the glimmer of a possible relationship was replaced with a 1000 yard stare and pain. Alexa knew she probably just crushed his heart but with the current events going on she just didn't know how to put it.

"Yea no it's cool." Taylor brushed it off but his eyes showed his heart was hurting "Listen I gotta get going before it get's dark so uh just text me and we'll figure out how to finish the project.

"Alright." Alexa grabbed her backpack and waved goodbye to Taylor as she headed towards the exit. She felt confused about the whole situation. Sure she was trying to get knocked down a peg by some of the other girls in school but once she puts away these rumors of her having a eating disorder she'll be back on top and flying high as ever. Taylor had made things awkward between them even though she had a feeling something was on his mind these last few days. She had warned him not too long ago about her and what she's doing currently and that he'd be dumb to fall for her and yet he basically confessed his feelings for her and she had to reject him. She didn't date guys like him simply because of social status, sure their friends outside of school but inside it's completely different. It has to be for her sake.

Not saying she wouldn't date guys like him but the whole thing is just confusing her and causing unwanted frustration. Him offering her a ride home was weird since he knows her mom picks her up but Alexa brushed it off and climbed into her moms car, tossing her backpack in the backseat.

"So how was school?" Her mom asked as they waited for a car to move.

Alexa rubbed her eyes "Confusing to say the least."

Her mother chuckled "It's about Taylor isn't it?"

Hearing this shocked Alexa as she turned and looked at her mother "How do you know?"

"Believe me, a mother knows what's going on in her daughters life." She answered back with a smile "Alexa your on top of the food chain, and sweetie you might think this is what's important right now but once you get out into the real world, your gonna realize real quick what's important and what isn't. I hope whatever you did or said to Taylor you didn't break the poor kids heart. He's honest, straightforward, and kindhearted and from everything you've told me about him if I were you I wouldn't let a boy like that disappear. Sure he's shy and quiet now but once that kid matures into the young man he's becoming, believe me you are gonna wish you listened to me.".

Alexa thought back to the earlier incident, and even though her mom was giving her good advice Alexa thought back to her ex and how he treated her and then to Taylor. Taylor was everything she wasn't, the complete opposite of her. And yet he had a very open and friendly personality and he was that way with everybody and it fascinated her because she isn't that way.

"I think I broke his heart, I told him I didn't want to go with prom to him and I probably ruined our friendship but it's my fault and I fucked up and he probably doesn't ever want to speak with me again and that's okay because I deserve it. In school I treated him like he was nothing and yet outside I've spent more time with him than anybody else and.." She trailed off trying to think of what else to say.

"He's rubbed off on you in a good way, your more open and more kind to people, not saying you weren't before but you have a glimmer in your eyes. Now I'm not trying to tell you who to date but I mean it sounds to me that you may have feelings for him you didn't know you had." Her mother picked up where Alexa trailed off.

Alexa didn't like that her mom was suggesting that she get to be more than friends with Taylor, sure she was a 'good kid' in the sense that she didn't do drugs or drink alcohol, unless she was at a party and alcohol was offered and she was a straight A student but she wanted to be in control of her life and if her mom was trying to get her to be with Taylor then she wouldn't do it. It's her life and she wants to be in control of it, not having someone else dictate her every action.

"Yea well I'm already talking to someone else anyway." Alexa looked out the window.

"Who?" Her mother questioned.

Alexa crossed her arms "He's a junior you wouldn't know him, Devon. He drives a 2003 red Corvette and is the football teams star Wide Receiver. We met just the other night at a friends house. I told Taylor last weekend that I was going with friends to the Christmas dance but now I have a date and I'm kinda hoping he doesn't find a date to the dance and just doesn't show up. I just wanna finish this project with him and then be done with him."

"No Alexa don't throw away a perfectly good friendship like that."

Alexa groaned "It's not perfectly good, he's the reason for my life falling apart." Snow began to fall as it had rained heavily earlier in the day and with the temperature dropping the roads would began to ice up. The intersection in front of them was blocked due to a car crash from the already hazardous conditions.

Her mother looked at the weather and then at a guy walking on the sidewalk "You know we should've given Taylor a ride home, bet the kids freezing out there on a bike."

"Mom he'll be fine." Alexa scoffed as she returned her gaze to the window. She just wanted to get home and forget about today.

 **A/N: I'm so sorry for not updating this in a few months, I've just been so busy I haven't had time to update it and I was at a point where I didn't which direction I wanted to take the story to make it more interesting but without further ado I hope you guys enjoyed and this chapters questions are: Do you think Alexa is making a good choice about trying to forget about Taylor and move on or do you think she has feelings for him? Also what do you think is gonna happen next? How are you liking the story so far?**


	6. Chapter 6

January

 **A/N: Sorry for not updating in forever. Just been busy and haven't had time but without further ado here's the next chapter. This will actually be the last chapter mainly because I never planned for this to be a long story and I don't really have anywhere to take this story but there will be a sequel which feature everybody and will be caught back up in modern times. The first few chapters of the sequel will we snippets of them through the years leading back up to present day. Hopefully the first chapter will be ready maybe sometime tonight or within the following week.**

The dance had been good for Alexa, she had fun during the dance and after all the while Taylor didn't speak much to her at school at all unless it was project related and he didn't text her at all except for Christmas day and New Years. But now she found in the hospital due to her having a confirmed eating disorder after her parents lied to her about taking her church. Now she is stuck in the hospital with nobody. The room was quiet aside from the heart monitor making sure she was still alive. It had been a week since she's been in here and with some luck she'd been out of here soon.

Being alone, she had a lot of time to think about everything really. She'd wonder how Taylor's doing and how he was working on the project. A nurse came in as if on cue and behind her followed the person who she found on her mind more often than she liked to admit...and he had the video camera filming her. Taylor thanked the nurse for showing him to her room.

"Taylor why are you filming me.?"Alexa asked weakly.

Taylor sat down on the bed beside her making sure not to sit on any of the tubes or wires "Because I'm showing the world the most beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes on." He aimed the camera at her.

"Look Alexa you will beat this and survive this, me and everybody else know you will, I'm on my way to school now but I'll see you there soon." Taylor gave her a smile and ended the filming and started walking out the door.

"Taylor." Alexa called out to him.

He turned around looked at her "What's up?"

It had only taken a moment but Taylor had pulled on her heart strings. Alexa gave him a smile "Come here." he walked over to the bed only for her to motion for him to come closer. He leaned, their faces only a few inches apart. She looked into his kind, caring eyes and smile as she wrapped him into a hug. He froze up and was confused.

"Why are you hugging me? Last time we really talked you rejected me and you really hurt me Lexi." Taylor gently pulled out from her embrace.

Alexa sighed "I have nothing now, absolutely nothing and was close to dying and now I'm understanding everything more clearly. I know I hurt you but I was hurting because I wanted to deny I had a problem but now I've given in and I'm sorry for hurting you."

She used a bit of strength tried to prop herself up but failed. Alexa felt helpless.

"I'll help you come on." Taylor gently took her hands and helped her sit up.

He looked at her and felt his stomach get butterflies. Her hair was matted to parts of her head and she hadn't had a actual meal since arriving due to her being out of it most of the time. Alexa looked at him and then looked down and smiled. Within the few weeks she's known him, it turned out to feel like a lifetime. Her smiling and giggling made his heart skip a beat.

Once she stopped giggling she looked up at him again and acted like she was going in for another hug but instead she pressed her lips to his. Instead of tensing up, Taylor ran his hands through her tangled hair as they sat there in the hospital room enjoying each others company. Her lips were dry yet still surprisingly soft. She laid back down on the bed but Taylor's mouth never left hers. When they pulled apart their faces were both red.

"I thought we were only ever gonna be friends." Taylor sat down beside her.

Alexa shook her head as she felt her eyes welling up with tears "I'm sorry, I really am. I'm not thinking. I can't think straight I'm confused. Just...go."

This completely threw Taylor off as he wasn't expecting that to turn into a breakdown. For a moment he thought she was finally coming around and now he's just as more as confused as ever."

"B-But we just kissed-"

"AND?" She cut him off "It's just a kiss Taylor it's not special now go."

Taylor got up off the bed confused and feeling hurt "I'm sorry for whatever I did to upset you."

Alexa wiped her eyes "You coming into my life hurt me, you ruined everything. I wish I never met you."

Taylor wiped his eyes as he didn't say anything and headed out into the busy hallway.

Alexa laid back down and cried for what felt like an hour as she tried to collect her thoughts. She would beat this eating disorder and come back stronger and better than ever. Taylor was just...a distraction, she had to get back on top of the food chain and not let him break down her walls again. Then again regardless of all the shit she threw at him he was always there for her. And when she reacted on impulse and kissed him as much as she wants to deny it she felt something. Something deep, deep down and she didn't want him to leave but she doesn't want him to see her like this. If anything he fucks with her mind too much. He's everything she's not if anything he's too good for her and he deserves better. Not her, someone better.

It'd be a long journey ahead but she's in it for the long haul and maybe somewhere down the line, her and Taylor will cross paths again one day in better terms.


End file.
